second_star | RL with Ange (Regression virus)

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RL with Ange (Regression virus)

[ Despite the strange book tucked underneath his arm, the day had been relatively normal. It was a busier sort of day for the Lower quarter, the market running at full steam, and Yuri found it easier to just avoid the grown ups through ducking in one of the alleyways. He didn't feel like harassing the poor baker today, he was already full from the meal Hanks gave him.

And besides...this book intrigued him. It looked a little fancy, like it belonged to someone from the Upper quarter, but he had found it just lying around in the streets. There was a sword on the cover, and he couldn't read the title but, hey, a sword must have meant it would be cool right?

Though all he found inside of it was weird...people. It was probably magic of some kind, and Hanks always told him not to play with the blastia, but...man he couldn't just throw it away!

He sat against the alley wall, opening it again. Strangely enough, there was no one specific waiting. Instead he just saw a bunch of pictures, with words he couldn't read. He couldn't help but pout. Where did the talking heads go? ]

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[ ... Scary.

All of this was just so scary to her. She doesn't even know what happened. She was just wandering around the mansion, nothing wrong, and.. then suddenly it was wrong. All she did was find some machine on which she could write stuff, and she found the name of this place in some notes that she found lying around too (belonging to her older self, but not like she realised it) so she decided to write it out with the machine, and.. then she suddenly wasn't in the mansion anymore. And she was nowhere she recognized.

This place was just so big, and all the people around seemed so scary, even people in full armor like in the stories.. And no matter how far she walked, she didn't see anything she recognized, nor anyone she recognized.

It was only after a little while that Ange just realised she was fully lost in a place she didn't even know and with no way to contact her older brother or sister. And that thought scares her so much, more than anything. In the end there's no solution to this, there's nothing she could do, so.. the little girl just stared crying, her fists pressed against her eyes as if she tries to wipe away the tears as they came.

She was just a lonely, lost and scared six year old. What else could she do? ]

[ After what was a good five minutes spent shaking the book, as if trying to make it talk again, Yuri stopped, a different sound interrupting his thoughts. He quietly rose to his feed, his body tense and on guard. It was coming from around the door of the alley where he stood.

...It almost sounded like someone crying. Cautiously, he walked towards the sound, tucking the book under his arm again. The crying wasn't really weird, or anything. He heard plenty of it but...He didn't know why he was drawn to it. Approaching the wall, he peeked his head around the corner.

There stood a young girl, in a rather clean, fancy dress, crying. He blinked, not moving. She definitely didn't look like she was from around here. A kid from the Upper quarter? Why was she all the way here? He thought they hated it here.

He hesitated going closer to her, he could just tell she was nobility. He'd get in so much trouble if someone found them. And besides, she'd probably make fun of him or whatever. Part of him just told her to leave her alone.

But that part wasn't enough to stop him from approaching her, putting a hand on her shoulder. ]

Hey. Don't cry. [ Encouraging words. Though if she kept crying, he wouldn't be able to ask what was wrong, right? ]

[ Once she could feel the touch she almost instinctively tried to move away from it, like some sort of startled animal - just because she was so scared, really. But then, while she was still sniffing and the tears were still rolling down her cheeks, she at least took her hands away from her face enough to look who touched her shoulder. It hadn't been any of her family members finding her, but instead.. this boy..?

Ange didn't recognize him either, but she couldn't help but stare at him for some reason. He was only a little older than her, yet he looked so.. confident, almost? Completely different than her. For a moment she was so surprised that she even forgot to cry, instead just staring with the stains of tears left. ]

B.. but.. [ She finally began to stammer the begins of some sort of faint defense. She shouldn't talk to strangers, but.. was it okay if it was just someone her age..? ] .. But I'm lost.. I can't find B-Battler onii-chan or Roze onee-chan a-anywhere..

[ Onii-chan? Onee-chan? Yuri didn't know what those words meant, so he just ignored them. But she was lost, and that was more important anyway. She looked younger than him, so of course she wouldn't be able to just go back the way she came or anything. He remembered getting lost too, Hanks always had to go and find him.

Yuri replied, in a matter of fact tone. So she got lost here because she wandered from the Upper quarter, huh? He could at least get her back. It bothered him to see her crying like this. ]

Then let's go back. It's not hard.

[ .. Huh? She looks up at him, blinking as if in surprise. There's multiple surprises in there, anyway. The fact that he's willing to help her out, the fact that he knows how to get back.. is that why he's so confident? Maybe this is only something people slightly older than her can understand.. she isn't sure, but part of her is still a little wary. ]

Y-you know how to get back, really? I won't be lost anymore..? [ There's a pretty hopeful tone in that. ]

Yeah! [ He grinned and nodded, taking her hand in his own. ] Come on, it's easy if we go the short cut.

[ He gave her a small tug, pulling her back into the alley he came through. ] You live in a big house or something, right?

[ The promise of a solution and the presence of another person is what calms her down, really. She rubs her fist against her cheeks enough to try and wipe away the tear stains there until she decides that she looks presentable enough, and that's when Yuri grabs her hand like that. Of course this younger Ange doesn't protest for a moment, she doesn't want to get lost in the middle of the crowds, after all..

But as they start walking, she turns a little more curious finally because of her new found hope. She looks around at their surroundings curiously, as if instead of scary they seem more like some new place to explore now. It takes her a moment or two to even realise the boy said something. ]

Oh..! Uh-huh, that's right! I live in a reaaally big house! [ She waves her free arm around as if to show just how big. ] It's wider than that street over there for sure!

[ Really big? Then it was definitely in the Upper quarter! That's where all the really really big houses were anyway! He keeps her moving through the morning market crowd, taking her along the uphill path towards the middle quarter. She looked a lot happier now, he was surprised she hasn't made fun of him like all the other noble kids. ]

Yeah, then I know where it is for sure! [ He smiled back to her, before quickly pulling her and ducking into a nearby alley way as a knight passed.

With the coast clear, he pulled her back out. He had a scowl on his face, even though the knight didn't catch a glimpse of them. ]

[ Ange just happily smiles at him too, but.. then she's suddenly pulled aside, letting out a tiny squeak. When she notices Yuri's face though she gets quiet, wondering if she should even let out a sound even though that person in armor passed and they're out of the alley again.. ]

U.. um.. [ She still shyly even ponders speaking up, but she guesses there's no way back anymore. She just hopes it isn't a weird or a bad question or anything.. ] Was that.. a bad person? [ Since Yuri was looking like that because of him.. ]

[ He just nodded furiously, but the smile returned to his face. ]

They're just mean, don't let them catch you, or we'll get in trouble. Hanks will get mad if we do. [ He pulls her along a little further, as they enter the middle quarter. ]

I like to throw rocks at them. [ He says back to her with a grin. ]

[ People here just catch you randomly for doing nothing?! And then you get into trouble? Oh gosh, this place just got twice as scary to her again, and she ends up squeezing his hand a little without realising, as if she's making sure that he's still really there. She's walking a little closer to him too now, peeking around her warily.. ]

.. Even though you can get into trouble because of them..? [ Wow. She's feeling so scared just because of hearing it, but he dares to even throw rocks at them..! ] Y.. you're so brave..! [ With no small amount of awe. ]

Haha, yeah. [ He takes the compliment in full stride. He was pretty proud of his crusades against the knights after all! It's not much longer before the buildings around them begin to grow larger, and look prettier. Street lamps are more plentiful as well.

Not too far from them, a large castle can be seen too. Yuri stopped, still holding her hand, as he turned to her. ]

What's your house look like? [ A large lady walked by them, hissing in disgust at the sight of Yuri. He just ignored it, continuing to look to Ange. ]

[ For a moment she's distracted by the sound the lady makes. Although she seems to understand it's not directed at her, it still startles her and she stares as she watches the lady walk past. Huh.. why did she do that..? Maybe she was one of the bad people too, just like those people in armor? Geez, how can this boy live in a scary place like this, she doesn't even dare to let go of his hand-- in fact, the moment she's startled by the lady, she instead grabs him more, clinging to his entire arm by now as she half-hides behind him. ]

U.. um.. [ She peeks around a little, as if she's trying to find it.. ] It's.. brown.. um, it's not as big as that biggest one up there though..

Huh? [ Biggest one? He followed her line of sight, his eyes falling on the castle. He laughed. ]

That's not a house! That's the castle! [ He said with glee, and a sense of satisfaction that he was able to actually inform her of something. he pulled on her hand, taking her further into the upper quarter. The clothes began to grow fancier and nicer in quality, not unlike her own. He kept talking. ]

That's where the Imperer lives, or whatever.

The Imperer..? .. Oh, you mean the emperor! [ See, she does know that - even if she's assuming a different kind, this isn't Japan, after all.. but it's not like she knows. She's just still looking around as she's trying to find her house. Sure, the ones here are big like it, but they're not the same so far..

It gets a little discouraging after a while though. ]

I haven't seen home yet though..

Yeah, yeah, whatever. [ Proper names were for proper people!! But none of the houses were matching her description. At least, not in size... ]

There's still more! Zaphias is super super big.

.. [ Wait, hold it there for a moment, Yuri. Once he says that, she just stops walking and blinks at him. ]

Huh..? "Zaphias"..? [ She repeats the name slowly as if she's never even really heard of it before. ] B.. but.. that's not the name of the place I live at all.. i-is that what this place is called?

[ It's pretty obvious how the look on her face drops. ]

[ His eyes were still focused on the buildings around them, trying to find a house that fit her description. She didn't know it was Zaphias? ...Oh, she probably just thought it was called the Upper Quarter! ]

Yeah. But you live in the Upper Quarter, right?

[ Zaphias, Upper Quarter.. she has never even heard of these things before, yet this boy is saying it like it's so natural.. w.. what's even going on anymore? Is she that far away from home? But.. how..?

She slowly shakes her head. ]

I.. don't even know what that is.. [ Her lower lip shakes a little bit, as if she's about to start crying. ] S-so I'm r.. really lost..

[ He stopped, at her negative reply. Wait, she didn't even...know what that was? Huh?

He turned around and looked at her, and sure enough, it looked like she was about to start crying. He didn't know what to say... ]

...It's probably not that far! If you got here!

But I don't r.. recognize.. a-anything.. [ She's already starting to sniff a little, her speech becoming more slurred. ] And everyone might get worried if I.. I'm gone, and...

[ Yup, there she goes. Her eyes are already watering up, and soon enough she's actually crying because of it. ]

I don't wanna be all alone and l.. lost...!

[ oh no, she's crying...Yuri shifted in his spot, uncomfortable. What was he supposed to say? He was more confused than anything. How did she get lost here if she wasn't from the city? No way she could have come by herself or anything!

...That didn't matter. She was crying now! He had to make it stop! He squeezed her hand, letting her know he was there. ]

You're not alone! I'll help you find home! [ Even though he had no idea where to start looking, he knew right now, she needed someone to be brave for her. ]

[ She's still crying, it won't stop that easily. And honestly, exactly because she's crying and so lost in the feeling she doesn't even notice him speaking up at first.

After a moment or two it hits her though, and she rubs her eyes with her free hand as she sniffs some more. ]

.. You will..? You're r-really not going to leave me all alone?

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RL with Ange (Regression virus)

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